Gas-generator



(No Medel.) 4 sheets-sheen 1.

A. o. SMITH.

. GAS GENERATOR.

No. 412,878. Patented oet. 8, 1888.

N. Pneus, mwmnegnevpr. vlamingen. D t;

(Nomodel.) 4sheets-sheec 2.

A. o. SMITH.

y GAS GENERATOR. No. 412,678. Y Patented Oct. 8, 1889.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A Lfo. SMITH.

GAS GENERATR QH.. Vi

,( No Model.)

(N Model.) 4 sheets-sheet 4.

A. O. SMITH. l

- GAS GENERATOR. No. 412.678. Patented Oct. 8, 1889.

UNITED STATE-s PATENT OFFICE.

AMBROSE O. SMITH, OF SHEBOYGAN, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FLEETWOOD WARD, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

vGAS-G EN ERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 412,678, dated October 8, 1889.

4 Application led May 8, 1888. Serial No. 273,203. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: each containing or lined by a metal tube or l Be it known that I, AMBROSEO. SMITH, of pipe I is arranged on the blocks or supports Sheboygan, in the county of Sheboygan and 8a at the opposite side of the furnace. The

Stateof Wisconsin, haveinvented certain new metal tubes or pipes I are alternately con- 55 5 and useful Improvements in Gas-Generators, nected at their ends by iianged couplings 10, of which the following is a specification. u as shown in Fig. 3, and the tubes or pipeslare The object of my invention is to provide a likewise alternately connected at their ends, novel gas-generator for the manufacture of and at the outer sides of the retorts 7 and 7 f are yilluminating and heating gas from coal, waprovided ascending flue-spaces c c', which are 6o ro ter, and crude oil, (or other product of pemore or less covered along their upper ends troleurm) or for the manufacture of gas from by movable lire-clay plates e e', that can be any two of such materials. This objectI acadjusted by means of openings, which are complish in the manner and by the means' closed by-doors or plugs f f, Figs. 6 and 7. hereinafter described and claimed, reference A series of fire-clay bafIie-plates 5 are ar- 65 15 being made to the accompanying drawings, ranged horizontally between and supported in whichi by the inner sides of the series of retorts, and Figure `l is a front end elevation of a gasat the ends of these baffle-plates are provided generator embodying my invention; Fig, 2, alternating openings, the uppermost one of a transverse sectional view taken on the line which is controlled by a damper J. A cham- 7o 2o Fig. 3; Fig. 3, a longitudinal sectional ber 6, covered by the arched top of the furview taken on the line y y, Fig. l; Fig. 4, a nace, is formed above the retorts and uplongitudinal sectional View taken on the line per baffle-plate, such chamber being in comf z z, Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a detail sectional View of munication at one end with a chimney. one of the steam and oil injectors; Fig. 6, a A gang of connected oil-vaporizing pipes a is 75 25 rear end elevation; and Fig. f7, a broken secembedded in one side wall of the furnace, tional View taken on the line fu c, Fig. 6. and in the opposite side Wall thereof is em- InV order to enable those 4skilled in the art bedded a similar gang of connected oil-Vato make and use my invention, l will now deporizing pipes a. 'The upperone of the pipes scribe the same in detail, referring to the a is in communication with an oil-feed pipe 8c 3o drawings, wherein- G and the upper one of the pipes a commu- I The letterA indicates a furnace structure, nicates with a similar oil-feed pipe G', these preferably made of briclework, having in its feedpipes being supplied with petroleum or base aiire-chamber C and ash-pit E, provided, its products in any suitable manner. In the respectively, with suitable doors B and D. A furnace-wall, below the oil-vaporizing pipes a, 85 3 5 series of separated refractory blocks or supis arranged a gang of connected steam-superports 8 and 8 are located, respectively, at in heating pipes b, the lower one of which is tervals along the opposite inner sides of the placed in communication with a steam-boiler furnace structure to provide Side passages l K by a vtube H, having a valveA 3l, and in the and 2, and between and supported by the opposite furnace-wall, below the pipes c', is 9o 4o blocks or supports is arranged a refractory arranged a similar gang of connected steambed-plate 9, that supports the main retort 3, superheating pipes b', the lower one of which which is furnished with a suitable door F, is also placed in communication with the and in which the charge of coal is placed to boiler by a tube I-l, having avalve 31a. The produce the coal-gas. A series of retorts '7` upper one of the pipesb connects by an elbow 95 45 arranged horizontally one upon the other, is b4 with a steam-injector 13, and the upper located at one side of the furnace structure, one of the pipes b connects by an elbow h5 `the lower retort resting on the blocks or supwith a similar steaminjector v13, said elbows ports 8. These ret-Orts are hollow and made being provided, respectively, with Valves 24 of fire-clay or other refractory material, and and 24a. These injectors respectively conroo 5o each contains within it, or is lined by,a metal nect with the front ends of the lower ones of tube or pipe I. A similar set of retorts 7, the tubes or pipes I I of the retorts 7 7 a', and

said injectors also connect, respectively,with the lower ones of the pipes a a', as represented by dotted lines in Fig. 1. A pipecoupling 15, having an elbow 27, connects the uppermost tube or pipe I of the retorts 7 both with the boiler K and with the bianch or T-shaped pipe connection 16 17, that communicates with the main gas-delivery pipe 19, said coupling 15 having suitable valves 23 and 26 to control communication between the uppermost tube or pipe I and the boiler and T-shaped pipe. The uppermost tube or pipe I of the retorts 7 communicates by an elbow M with the T-shaped pipe 16 17, such elbow having a Valve N to control the communication. A retort discharge-pipe 20, having a valve 30, rises trom the main retort 3 and connects with the gas-delivery pipe 19, and this discharge-pipe also communicates with the injector 13 by a branch pipe 25, having a valve 25 to control the communication.

For convenience in cleaning the metal tubes or pipes I I their ends are provided with removable caps 12.

The products of combustion from the firechamber pass into the lateral passages 1 and 2 and around the retort, a portion rising through the fine-spaces c c', and the remainder taking a circuitous course around the battle-plates by reason of their alternating end openings. The products of combustion, passing along the opposite sides of each set of pipe-lined retorts, impart a high degree of heat thereto, and also by heating the furnace walls impart the requisite degree of heat to the oil-vaporizing pipes and steam-superheating pipes.

The gas-generator described may be operated in connection with coal, steam, and oil to produce gas by supplying the main retort with coal, the gases from which rise through its discharge-pipe. The steam from the boiler 1s admitted to the gang of pipes b', where it becomes superheated, and crude oil or other product of petroleum is supplied to the gang of pipes a', where the oil is vaporized and passes to the steam-injector 13, so that the oil-vapor is forced by the steam into the lower one of the retorts 7. The vaporized oil and steam are in their circuitous passage through the said retorts still further heated, and thereby converted into a fixed gas, which passes by the elbow-and-pipe connection into the gas-delivery pipe, where such fixed gas mingles with the coal-gas rising from the retort through its discharge-pipe. Instead, however, of mingling thev gases in the gas-delivery pipe, as stated, the valve 30 of the retort discharge-pipe may be closed and the coalgas caused to pass through the branch pipe 25 into the steam-injector 13, to be forced with the steam and vaporized oil into the retorts 7, and there conbin'ed with the oil and steam vapors. The steam may be generated in the boiler K; or the latter can be employed simply as a steam dome or receiver, supplied with steam from a suitable outside source; or the steam can be generated by closing the valve 24 and passing water through the feed-pipe G to the heating-pipes a, through the injector 13, and into the retort 7, the valve 2G being closed and valve 23 being open, so that the steam formed in the retort. 7 passes by elbow 27 into what I have termed a boiler, to be conducted by the pipe H into the gang of steam-superheating pipes b', While the petroleum or other oil is supplied by the feed-pipe G into the gang of heating-pipes a. In the operation last described the boilerK is simply used as a steam-dome, and, further, in this operation the coal-gas from the main retort may be carried by the retort discharge-pipe directly to the gas-delivery pipe; or it can be conducted to the injector 13 by the branch pipe 25, as before explained. Where the gang of pipes a is used to conduct Water to the retorts 7 it will be obvious that such pipes then become water-heating pipes, and hence the said pipes may be termed oil-vaporizing or water-heating pipes.

In order to observe the condition of the gas in the retorts 7 and 7 I provide them at their ends with petcocks 21, whereby a small qualitity of the gas can be allowed to escape.

For the manufacture of gas from steam and crudeoil alone the main retort is not operated; but the valves 25 and 30 in the branch and discharge pipes 25 and 20 are closed. The steam is supplied to the superheating-pipes b b', and the oil to the heatingpipes a a. The steam and Vaporized oil are then passed by two injectors into the respective sets of pipe-lined retorts,where such steam and oil vapor become converted into a xed gas, and are conducted to the gas-delivery pipe by the pipe-coupling and elbowand-pipe connections before mentioned.

To produce a gas low in carbon and high in hydrogen the quantity of oil is reduced and the quantity of steam increased in suits able proportion.

For making water-gas and coal-gas combined the main retort is charged with coal and steam supplied to the steam-superheating pipes b', which passes by the injector 13 into the lower one of the vaporizing-retorts 7. The coal-gas is conducted by the branch pipe 25 into said injector, and, together with the steam, is forced into the lower one of the retorts 7, the combined gases passing from.

the upper vaporizing-retort 7 to the gas-delivery pipe by way of the elbow-and-pipe connection.

The quality of the gas can be regulated by controlling the quantity of steam admitted to the superheating-pipes through the mediunli of the valve in the steam-supply pipes H H To observe the pressure in the pipe-lined retorts, the upper one at each side lnay be provided with any suitable sight-tube or glass gage L.

It will be evident that by' arranging the IOO IIO

IIS

two sets of oil-vaporizing or water-heating pipes, steam-superheating pipes, and pipelined retorts at opposite sides of the furnace structure one set can be used independently of the other set, and that one or both sets can be operated conjointly with the main retort, while the parts at one side can be readily cleaned without stopping the operation of the parts at the opposite side.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. In a gas-generator, the combination, with a furnace structure, of 1 a coal-gas retort, a gang of oil-vaporizing pipes at one side of the furnace structure, a gang of steam-superheating pipes, a series of retorts alternately connected at their ends, a steam and vaporized-oil injector connected with the two gangs of pipes and with one of the said alternatelyconnected retorts, a gas-delivery pipe for the latter, and pipe-connections between the gasdelivery pipe and thecoal-gas retort and alternately-connected retorts, substantially as described.

2.- In a gas-generator, the combination, with a furnace structure, of a gang of oil-vaporizing pipes and a gang of steam-superheating pipes, both located at one side of the furnace structure, a series of metallic pipe-lined retorts of refractory material, resting one directly upon another, and having the pipelinings alternately connected at their ends, and a steam and vaporized-oil injector connected with the gangs of pipes and with one of the retorts, substantially as described.

3. In a gas-generator, the combination, with a furnace structure, of the gangs of oil-vaporizing pipes and steam-superheating pipes arranged at opposite sides ofthe furnace, the oil-feed pipes connected with the vaporizingpipes, the steam-supply pipes connected with the superheating-pipes, a series of metallic pipe-lined retorts of refractory material, resting directly one upon another at each sideA of the furnace, each series having the pipelinings alternately connected at their ends, connections between the oil-vaporizing pipes, superheating-pipes and the -lower retorts, and a gas-delivery pipe having branch connections with the upper retorts, substantially as described.

4. In a gas-generator, the combination, with a furnace structure, of a series of superposed pipe-lined retorts alternately connected at their ends, a gas-delivery pipe connected with the upper retort, the steam superheating pipes, connections between the latter and the lower retort, the bafiie-plates located at one side of the pipe-lined retorts and having alternating end openings, the ascending iiue between the opposite side of the retorts and the siderwall of the furnace, and a fire-chamber, substantially as described.

5. In a gas-generator, the combination, with a furnace structure, of the steam-superheating pipes, pipe-lined refractory retorts alternately connected at their ends and in communication with the said pipes, the baffle-plates .located at one side of the retorts and having alternating end openings,I the ascending flue between -the opposite side of the retorts and the side wall of the furnace, and a lire-chamber, substantially as described.

6. In a gas-generator, the combination, with a furnace structure having a lire-chamber, of`

a series of metallic pipe-lined refractory retorts, rest-ing one directly upon another, and

having the pipe linings alternately connected at their ends, a series of baiiie-plates located at one side of said pipe-lined retorts and having alternating end openings, and a gang of stealn-superheating pipes connected with one of the retorts, substantially as described. y

7. In a gas-generator, the combination, with a furnace structure having a central firechamber and opposite blocks or supports arranged at intervals .to form opposite side I'lues, of a main retort arranged between the side flues, a series of superposed pipe-lined retorts on the blocks or supports at each side of the furnace, ascending flue spaces arranged, respectively, between the superposed retorts and the side walls of the furnace, and the bathe-plates located above the main retort and between the pipe-lined retorts at one side and those at the opposite side of the furnace structure and having alternating end openings, substantially as described.

8. In a gas-generator, the combination, with a furnace structure, of a main retort having a gas-discharge pipe, a series of retorts arranged in the furnace and rising above the` main retort, a gang of oil-vaporizing pipes. and a gang of steam-superheating pipes, both located at one side of the furnace, a gas-delivery pipe connected with the upper one of the series of retorts and with the gasdischarge pipe of the retort, a steam-injector connected with the lower one of the series of retorts and with thel two gangs of pipes, and a valved branch pipe connecting the injector with the said gas-discharge pipe, substantially as described.

9. In a gas-generator, the combination, with a furnace structure, of a main retort, a series of superposed retorts rising above the latter, a gang of oil-vaporizing pipes and a gang of ysteain-superhea'ting pipes located at one side of the furnace, a steam-injector connected with one of the superposed retorts and with the twoI gangs of pipes, a boiler, a gas-delivery pipe, a pipe-coupling connected with the gas-delivery pipe, the boiler, and the one of the superposed retorts, and provided with two valves to control communication between the retorts and the boiler and gas-delivery pipe, and a pipeconnection between the main retort and the gas-delivery pipe, substantially as described.

l0. In a gas-generator, the combination, with a furnace structure, of a series of retorts at each side thereof, those of each series having their ends alternately connected,

IIO

III;

a gang of oil-Vaporizing pipes and a gang,r of steam-superheating pipes embedded in each side wall of the furnace structure, a valved steam-supply pipe for each gang,r of steamsnperheating pipes, an oil-feed pipe for each gang of oil-vaporizing pipes, a steam-injector connecting the gangs of pipes at each side 0f the furnace with the retorts adjacent thereto, a gas-delivery pipe havingabranchpipe connection with both series of retorts, a boiler, and connections between the boiler and the retorts, substantially as described.

1l. In a gas-generator, the combination, with a furnace structure having a fire-chamber, side ues, and ascending flue spaces at its opposite sides, of a main retort having a gas-discharge pipe, a series of superposed pipe-lined retorts arranged at each side of the furnace, those of each series having their ends alternately connected, a gang of of the furnace, steam-supply pipes leadingl 3o from the boiler to the respective gangs of steam-superheating pipes, and an oil-feed pipe for each gang of oil-vaporizing pipes, substantially at described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 35 my hand.

AMBROSE O. SMITH. Witnesses:

THOMAS J. CHARLES,

HARRY R. PRoBAsCo. 

